Feed mechanism for mining-machines.



L. F. HESS.

FEED MECHANISM FOR MINING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5. I915. f

Patented Oct. 10,1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET I \L 158mm;

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!IIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIII Inventor Witnesses OAttorneys,

Patented Oct. 10,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

L. F. HESS.

FEED MECHANISM'FOR MINING MACHINES.

APPLICATION HLED MAY 5, 1915- 1,200,941.

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FEED MECHANISM FOR MINING MACHINES.

APPUCATION FILED MAY 5,1915. 1,200,941. Patented Oct. 10,1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3 Witnesses Attorneys.

LOUIS F. HESS,

OF ANSTED, WEST VIRGINIA.

FEED MECHANISM FOR MINING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

Continuation in part of application Serial No. 873.313. filed November21, 19147 This application filed May To all whom it may oonccrn Be itknown that I, Louis F. lllass, a citizen of the United States, residingat Anstcd. in the county of Fayette and State of Vest Virginia, haveinvented a new and useful Feed Mechanism for lyIinin -Machines, of whichthe following is a specification.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is a feedingmechanism for a mining machine, the present disclosure, for the mostpart appearing in my prior application Serial No. 873,313, for LettersPatent on a mining machine, filed November 21, 1911, and allowed March26, 1915, Patent- No. 1,147,724, the present application being acontinuation of the application above referred to by serial number.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is a miningmachine of that general type in which the cutter shaft rotates andslides longitudinally as it rotates.

One object of the invention is to provide novel means for coupling upwith the driving mechanism, the drums controlling the flexible elementswhereby the position of the machine is adjusted with respect tothe work.

It is within the scope of the invention to improve in particulars whichwill be pointed out hereinafter, the construction of a mining machine ofthe general type disclosed in this application With the foregoing andother objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, theinvention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in thedetails of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it beingunderstood that changes in the precise embodiment of the inventionherein disclosed can be made within the scope of What is claimed,without departing from. the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 shows the invention in top plan,portions of the casing being removed; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinalsection taken along the median plane; Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectiontaken along the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig, 4 is a vertical-longitudinalsection taken along the line 44, of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a cross sectiontaken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a transverse section ofone of the drums; Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken approximatelyalong the line 7-7 of Fig. 1, parts being omitted.

In carrying out the present invention Serial No. 26,000.

there is provided a supporting structure embodying a base plate 1 and acasing 2, the latter including a top 3 terminated intermediate thc frontand rear of the machine, the rear end of the top 3 being shown at 1.Fixed to and upstanding from the base 1 and preferably formed integrallytherewith is a rear bearing Located in front of the rear hearing 5 is atransverse intermediate bearing 6. Located in front of the intermediatebearing 6 is an intermediate partition 7 formed integrally with alongitudinal bearing 8 which is connected with the base plate 1, thelongitudinal bearing 8 terminating in a front plate 9 abutting againstthe front wall of the casing 2. As shown in Fig. 3, the intermediatebearing 6 is connected with the transverse partition 7 by means of sidewalls 10 which are connected with the base plate 1,. As Fig. 1 discloseswhen compared with Fig. 2, transversely spaced upper bearings 11 aresecured to or formed integrally with the longitudinal bearing 8. A motor12 which preferably is driven electrically, is united with the rear end4 of the casing 2 and is supported upon the intermediate bearing 6. asshown in Fig. 2. The armature shaft of the motor 12 is denoted by thenumeral 11 and carries a pinion 15 meshing into a gear wheel 16, thetubular hub 17 of which is mounted to rotate in the rear bearing 5.Located in front of the gear wheel 16 is a pinion 18, the tubular hub 19of which passes rearwardly through the tubular hub 17 of the gear wheel16.

Mounted to rotate in the hub 19 of the pinion 18 and to slidelongitudinally therein is a cutter shaft 20 provided with a keyway 21cotiperating with a keyway 22 in the hub 19 of the pinion 18. Thekeyways 21 and 22 may receive keyballs 23 or their mechanicalequivalents, the construction being such that although the cutter shaft20 is connected to the pinion 18 for simultaneous rotation therewith,the shaft nevertheless may slide longitudinally on the pinion. The rearend of the hub 17 of the gear wheel 16 and the rear end of the hub 19 ofthe pinion 18 are provided with clutch elements 24 adapted to be engagedby a clutch 25 slidable upon the shaft 20 longitudinally of the shaft.

Disposed upon opposite sidesof the cutter shaft 20 are longitudinalshafts 26 journaled for rotation in the intermediate partition 7 and inthe intermediate bearing 6. To the rear ends of the longitudinal shafts26 are secured pinions 27 ,which mesh into the pinion 18. The forwardends of the longitudinal shafts 26 are equipped with worms 28coiiperating with worm wheels 29 fixed to a shaft 30 journaled in thelower rear portions of the upper bearings 11. The worm wheels 29 areprovided with wrist pins 32 receiving the forward ends of pit men 31,the rear ends of which are pivoted on studs 33 at the ends of a crosshead 34 in which the cutter shaft 20 is journaled. Attached to thecutter shaft 20 in front of the cross head 34 and to the rear of thesame are collars 35, the construction being such that although thecutter shaft 20 may rotatein the cross head 34, a reciprocation'of thecross head 34 will produce a reciprocation of the cutter shaft and causethe'latter to slide to and fro in the hub 19 of the pinion 18.

Secured to the shaft 30 are. pinions 36 meshing into gear wheels 37adapted to rotate with an auxiliary shaft 38 journaled in the bearin 11and terminally supported in bearings 57 m the side portions of thecasing 2, Fig. 7 being noted particularly for a. disclosure of thedetails last above mentioned.

The gear wheels 37 are compomte structures, each gear wheel comprisingan intermediate disk 39 carrying a toothed rim 40 forming the operativeelement of each gear wheel 37. To the opposite faces of the intel-mediate disks 39 of the gear wheels 37 are applied side disks 41 and42. The auxiliary shaft.38 is threaded as shown at 43 to engage the hubs44 of the side disks 42, the hubs 44 projecting through the intermediatedisks 39 and entering hubs 45. constituting, each, a part of one of theside disks 41, the hubs 45 being journaled in the bearings 11. The inneror adjacent ends of the hubs 45 are provided with beveled lips 46.Coiiperating with the lips 46 are double convexed wheels oranti-friction elements 500 carried respectively by shoes 501 and 502,the shoes being loosely connected as indicated at 503. Pivoted at 504 tothe shoe 502 is a lever 505. A link 506 forms a pivotal connectionbetween the intermediate portion of the lever 505 and the shoe 501. Aretractile spring 507 is provided, one end of the spring 507 beingattached by means of a nut 508 to the end of the lever 505, the otherend of the spring being attached by means of a nut 510 to a bracket 509mounted on the longitudinal bearing 8 or otherwise supported.

The tension of the spring 507 may be adjusted by rotating one or both ofthe nuts 508 and 510. The spring 507 serves to tilt the lever 505,thereby to tighten or loosen the shoes 501 and 502 with respect to thehubs 45, the wheels 500 being thrust between the lips 46 of the hubs 45with a varying pressure. Thus, the hubs 45-and the side disks 41 arethrust with a varying pressure against the intermediate disks 39 of thegear wheels, the disks 39 abutting against the disks 42 which are heldon the shaft 38. Under ordinary circumstances, the gear wheels 37,comprising the disks 39, are connected with the shaft 38 to rotatetherewith, but the gear wheels are held to the shaft 38 with a varyingfrictional hold, to the end that, under excessive strains, the disks 39may rotate independently of the shaft 38 thus avoiding a breakage ofparts. As hereinbefore outlined, by manipulating the nuts 508 and 510,or one of them, the spring 507 may be adjusted, thereby effecting achange in the amount of power which is necessary to rotate the gearwheels 37 independently of the shaft 38 under excessive strains.

Mounted to rotate upon the shaft 38 adjacent the gear wheels 37 abovedescribed in detail are pinions 51, the outer ends of which are suppliedwith clutch elements 52. These clutch elements 52 are adapted tocooperate with the inner ends of clutches 53 held to theeshaft 38 forrotation therewith but for sliding movement therealong, by means of keys54, it being noted at this point, referring to Fig. 7, that the innerends of the keys 54 serve as abutments for the outer side faces of thepinions 51, so that the latter cannot move longitudinally of the shaft38. Journaled on the shaft38 adja cent the ends thereof are pinions 55having clutch elements 56 adapted to coiiperate with the outer ends ofthe clutches 53, the pinions 55 lying adjacent the bearing 57. Theinions 51 mesh into gear wheels 58 locate upon the outer faces of drums59 and 60, supported on a. drum shaft 64, the latter being carried bythe bearings 11 as Fig. 1 will? disclose. The outer faces of the drums59 and 50 are provided with gear wheels 61 meshing into idle pinions 62journaled on sub-shafts 63 carried by the side walls of the casing 2,the pinions 62 meshing with the pinions 5 A flexible element 65 istrained around the drum59 and engages with a guide sheave 66 on thesupporting structure, the extremity of the flexible element, 65 beingcarried laterally and being anchored to the side wall of the mine orelsewhere, as shown at 67. A flexible element 68 is trained around thedrum in a direction opposite to that in which the flexible element istrained around the drum 59. The flexible element 68 is carried acrossangularly disposed guide sheaves 69 and 70 and is extended laterally,the extremity of the flexible element 68 being attached to the wall ofthe mine or elsewhere by means of an anchor 71.

The forward end of the cutter shaft 20 carries a cutter 72 preferably ofa spiral type and including a collar 73 constituting a means whereby thecutter 72 may be assembled with the cutter shaft. The line of abutmentbetween the collar 73 and the end of the cutter shaft 20 is denoted bythe numeral74.

The driving trains may now be traced out. A reciprocating movement isimparted to the cutter shaft 20 through the medium of a trainembodyingthe following elements: the motor 12, its armature shaft 14,the pinion 15, the gear wheel 16, the clutch 25, the pinion 18, thekeyballs 23 or their equivalents, and the cutter shaft 20. A reciproeating movement is imparted to the cutter shaft 20 by a train embodyingthe following elements: the motor 12, the shaft 14, the pinion 15, thegear wheel 16. the clutch 25, the pinion 18, the pinions 27, thelongitudinal shafts 26, the worms 28, the Worm wheels 29. the pitmen 31,the cross head 34. the

collars 35, and the cutter shaft 20. Through the cotiperation of theelements last above outlined, the cutter shaft 20 is caused toreciprocate in the hub 19 of the pinion 18 while the cutter shaft isrotated by the pinion'18. v

Presupposing that the worm wheels 29 are rotated as above mentioned, thedrums 60 are rotated from the worm wheels by the following gear trains:the worm wheels 29, the shaft 30, the pinions 36, the gear wheels 37,the shaft 38, the clutches 53, the pinions 51, the gear wheels 58, andthe drums 59 and 60. By shifting the clutches 53, the drums 59 and 60may be rotated in a direction opposite, to that above described, by thecooperation between the following elements: the gear wheels 37, theshaft 38, the clutches 53, the pinions 55, the idlers 62, the gearwheels 61, and the drums 59 and 60. If the clutches 53 are set in theintermediate positions shown in Fig. 7, that is out of engagement withthe pinions 51 and 55, then the drums 59 and 60 may be rotatedindependently of their driving means, this operation being desirable attimes, in order that the flexible elements 68 and 65 may be drawn freelyoff the drums.

Each of the drums 59 and 60 may be rotated in opposite directions byshifting the clutch 53 so that it engages the pinion 55 or the pinion51. A reversal in the direction of rotation of the drum is brought aboutby reason of the interposition of the idle pinion 62. Since the gearwheel 61 is of smaller diameter than the gear wheel 58, when the drum isdriven through the medium of the gear wheel 61, the speed of rotation ofthe drum is increased. 7

The drums 59 and 60 are driven from the shaft 38 by separate geartrains, and thus, should one of the drums or its gear train becomeinoperative, the other drum may still be operated, thus preventing themachine from becoming entirely useless, so far as the operation of themachine depends upon'the rotation of one of the drums.

One of the weakest points in a machine of this type is atthe placewhereby the cutter 72 is joined to the cutter shaft 20.. In the presentmachine the line 74 of abutment between the collar 72 and the shaft 20always reciprocates within the contour ofthe longitudinal bearing 8. Ifthe juncture indicated by the line 74 is, as in the present instance,always maintained within the contour of the bearing 8, the joint inquestion is reinforced and strengthened so that in practice a breakagedoes not occur.

At times, notably when the machine is being transported, it'is desirableto stop the rotation of the cutter shaft 20. This operation may bebrought about by disengaging the clutch 25 from the clutch elements 24on the hubs 19 and 17 of the pinions 18 and 16 respectively. Then thepinion 16 may rotate upon the hub 19 of the pinion 18 without actuatingthe latter.

Since the flexible elements 65 and 68 are trained in opposite directionsaroundthe drums 59 and 60, the flexible element 68 will be paid out asthe flexible element 65 is drawn in. The flexible element 65 is employedfor advancing the machine laterally to cause the cutter 72 to act uponthe work, and the flexible element .68 is employed for preventing therear, end of the machine from swinging around, due to the pressure ofthe cutter against the work. The drums 59 and 60 rotate at thesamcspeed, and consequently, the rear end of the machine can not travellaterally at a greater speed than the front end of the machine. If it isdesired to swing around the rear end of the machine, the drum 59 may beuncoupled by placing the corresponding clutch 53 in an intermediateposition, the drum 60 being coupled up for rotation with the shaft 38 bymanipulating the clutch 53 which is individual to the drum 60. Under thecircumstances above described, the clutch 53 of the drum 60 is coupledup with the corresponding pinion 55, the gear wheel 61 actuating thedrum 60 through the medium of the idler 62. The drums 59 and 60 oreither of them may be used to move the entire machine laterally beforethe cutting operation is begun.

The guide sheaves 66 are duplicated and the sheaves 69 and 70 areduplicated at opposite sides of the machine. Consequently, the machinemay be changed from a right hand cutter into a left. hand cutter byreversing the directions in which the elements 65 and 68 are wound abouttheir respective drums, the element 65 being carried rearwardly and theelement 68 being carried forwardly.

As hereinbefore outlined, the intermediate -elements wound around thedrums;

disk 39 ofthe gear wheel 37, cooperating with the side 'dlsks 41 and 42may be employed to effects drive, or, under excessive strains", may bepermitted to slip, thereby avoiding a breakage of parts.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1.-In a miningmachine, a supporting structure; a cutting means carried thereby; across shaft journaled in the supporting structure; drums journaledin thesupporting structure flexible elements wound about the drums; means foranchoring the flexible elements; gear wheels carried by the drums;

pairs of actuating pinions. journaled on the cross shaft, one actuatingpinion of each pair meshing directly into one gear wheel.

of each drum; idle pinions on the supporting structure, each idle pinionmeshing into the other actuating pinion of each pair and into the othergear wheel of each drum; clutch elements carried by the actuatingpinions; and clutches onthe' cross shaft between the actuating pinionsof each pair,- the clutches being rotatable with the cross shaft andbeing adapted to-cooperate selec-. tively with'the clutch elements ofthe actua-ting pinions. a l I 2. In a mining mach'ine, a supportingstructure; a cutting means carried thereby; drums on the supportingstructure; flexible us for anchoring flexible elements; asha oh thesupporting structure; drive wheels tatable on the shaft-under anexcessive strain; means cooperating with both wheels to hold the sameupon the shaft to rotate as my own, I have hereto :1

with the shaft; means for coupling up the drums selectively with theshaft; and mech- I anisms for reversing the direction of the drumsseparately, the said mechanisms being interposed in the last specifiedmeans.

3. ,In a mining machine, a supporting structure; a. cutting meanscarried thereby;-

a cross shaft journaled in the supporting structure; drums gournaled inthe supporting structure; exible elements wound about the drums; meansfor anchoring the flexible elements; gear Wheels carried by the drums;pairs of actuating .pinionsjournaled on the cross shaft, one actuatingpinion of each pair meshing directly into. one'gearthe same uponitheshaft torotate with the shaft. r In testimony-that I-claim the forego'\my-S g' ture in the presenceof two s LOUIS F. ESS. Witnesses; J. W.-A'rxrson,

F. L. BURTON

